Three guilty in Blenheim Palace gold toilet theft case

Three men involved in the theft and sale of a multi-million pound gold toilet from Blenheim Palace have been convicted.

The 18-carat gold toilet – a work of art insured for $6m (£4.75m) and weighing approximately 98kg – was stolen under the cover of darkness just two days after it went on display at the Oxfordshire stately home.

James Sheen, 40, and his accomplices drove two stolen vehicles through locked gates at Blenheim Palace shortly before 5am on 14 September 2019.

As exposed by CCTV evidence presented by prosecutors at trial, the group used sledgehammers and crowbars to break in and remove the fully functioning toilet before loading it into the back of one of the vehicles and driving off.

The carefully planned raid was over within five minutes.

Shan Saunders of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “This was an audacious raid which had been carefully planned and executed – but those responsible were not careful enough, leaving a trail of evidence in the form of forensics, CCTV footage and phone data.

“It has been a complex case to prosecute, involving a nationwide investigation with many lines of inquiry to identify those who were subsequently charged in relation to the theft.

“While none of the gold was ever recovered – no doubt having been broken up or melted down and sold on soon after it was stolen – we are confident this prosecution has played a part in disrupting a wider crime and money laundering network.”

While Sheen was one of the masterminds behind the burglary, Michael Jones, 39, played his part by carrying out a reconnaissance visit at the palace in the days prior to the theft and was present on the night the toilet was stolen.

As put to Jones at trial by prosecutors, on his first visit ahead of the art exhibition opening he took photos from inside the building of the window that the thieves would use to enter the palace. The day before the raid he took photos of the toilet itself, the lock on the toilet door and further pictures of the same window from the outside.

A couple of days after the burglary, Sheen contacted Fred Doe, 36, about selling the gold. Through coded messages, the two men talked about ‘cars’ and getting offered ‘26 and a half’ – which the Crown Prosecution Service said alluded to the men getting £26,500 per kilo of the stolen gold.

A jury at Oxford Crown Court has today found Michael Jones guilty of burglary and Fred Doe guilty of conspiracy to convert or transfer criminal property.

Bora Guccuk, 41, was found not guilty of conspiracy to convert or transfer criminal property.

Sheen admitted his crimes earlier this year. He had been charged with one count of burglary, one count of conspiring to convert or transfer criminal property, and one count of converting or transferring criminal property.

Sheen’s DNA was found both on a sledgehammer left at the scene and in the stolen Isuzu truck used in the raid. 

Tracksuit bottoms seized at his home had hundreds of gold fragments on them, which when analysed were indistinguishable from the gold from which the toilet was made. 

The men will be sentenced at a later date.